Chamber pumps millions into races

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is pouring almost $10 million into House campaigns and millions more into Senate contests in the closing month of the midterm elections.

In the past week alone, the Chamber has spent more than $5.2 million—more than $1.7 million for House races and about $3.4 million on Senate contests, recent FEC filings show.

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At the top of their target lists are two Democratic senators, Michael Bennet in Colorado and Barbara Boxer in California. Bennet’s getting hit over healthcare to the tune of $1 million, and the Chamber is spending close to $1.4 million against Boxer. The Chamber is also spending about $500,000 in the Pennsylvania and Wisconsin Senate races to help knock down Democratic Rep. Joe Sestak and incumbent Sen. Russ Feingold.

All of the Chamber’s ads are classified “electioneering communications”—issue ads instead of spots urging viewers to vote for a specific candidate. But recent court decisions have removed old restrictions that kept groups like the Chamber from running these spots for 30 days before a primary election or 60 days before a general election.

The Chamber has ads slated all the way through Nov. 2.

On the House side, most of the money—$8.1 million so far—is going to Republicans, while $1.7 million is aimed to help defend Democrats who have earned the Chamber’s backing.

Democrats who’ve won support include Walt Minnick in Idaho, Jim Matheson in Utah, Glenn Nye in Virginia, Frank Kratovil in Maryland, Travis Childers in Mississippi, Dan Boren in Oklahoma, Mike Ross in Arkansas, Bobby Bright in Alabama, and Sanford Bishop and Jim Marshall in Georgia.

But the Chamber has hit more than 30 incumbent Democrats across the country from California to Iowa to Pennsylvania. Recent big buys include $245,000 against Rep. Tom Perriello in Virginia’s 5th District—he’s in a close race with Republican Robert Hurt—and $170,000 for ads against Rep. Patrick Murphy’s suburban Philadelphia 7th District.

The Chamber has come under intense scrutiny this election cycle because it does not disclose its donors—and President Barack Obama has insinuated in stump speeches that many of its donors are foreign companies, though the White House has not offered evidence to back up the claim.

“The Chamber has said, that they take money from overseas. We do know that they’re spending $75 million to $80 million on ad campaigns — with anonymous donors,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Oct. 12.

The Chamber says they're telling voters how businesses feel about policy. "We’re educating voters about where candidates stand on issues that impact job creation. From an energy tax to a government takeover of health care, we’re going to hold lawmakers accountable for their votes," said Chamber spokesman J.P. Fielder.